Was GEO right to cancel FAU stadium donation?

Students and others who protested Florida Atlantic University’s decision to sell naming rights for its football stadium to GEO Group are claiming a victory.

Artist's rendering of how GEO Stadium would have looked.

As The Post’s John Lantigua reported, the private prison company has withdrawn the offer to provide $500,000 a year for 12 years.

Critics said it was inappropriate to name the facility for a company that has been accused of mistreating inmates. They derided the stadium as “Owlcatraz,” a play on the team’s Owl mascot.

But proponents of the deal noted that GEO Group’s founder is an FAU graduate and that the company employs FAU grads. Another issue, of course, is that FAU needs money to pay for the stadium bonds. FAU President Mary Jane Saunders said Tuesday the university still would be able to make the payments.

“What was originally intended as a gesture of GEO’s goodwill to financially assist the university’s athletic scholarship program has surprisingly evolved into an ongoing distraction to both of our organizations. …We take pride in running a well-respected company and are proud of our long-term support of the University.”

Until Monday, the university and GEO had said the naming rights decision would stand. After dragging on for a month-and-a-half, both GEO and FAU have been held up to prolonged ridicule, but now FAU doesn’t have the money.

What do you think? Was GEO right to cancel the FAU stadium deal? Take our poll and/or leave a comment.